Cargill, Food Banks Canada respond to increase demand for food relief
WINNIPEG, MB, Oct. 16, 2020 /CNW/ -- COVID-19 has escalated the urgency to address hunger gaps in communities around the world as families grapple with the economic impact of the global pandemic. According to a recent study, 1 in 7 Canadians are affected by food insecurity as a result of the economic downturn caused by the virus. To help address the increased demand for food relief, Cargill has stepped up their efforts to ensure Canadians have food on their tables.
To date in 2020, Cargill has committed $3.5 million to food banks across Canada, with $2.1 million of the total giving specifically in response to COVID-19 relief efforts. This equates to 8 million meals distributed from British Columbia to Quebec. In addition to financial support, the company has donated 364,928 kg of product to local food banks through partnerships with organizations such as Food Banks Canada.
"Cargill has been a long-time supporter of Food Banks Canada and the entire food banking network, supporting not only financially, but with critical product donations," said Chris Hatch, CEO at Food Banks Canada. "We're so pleased to continue to work with Cargill to provide training and information to ensure that local food banks can deliver food to their clients in a safe manner."
For the last six years, Cargill and Food Banks Canada have worked to provide and training and resources to local food banks. In the face of the pandemic, the two organizations have looked for opportunities to reach out further in to the community.
"We're humbled to work alongside the Food Banks Canada team to address hunger issues across Canada," said Jeff Vassart, President of Cargill's Canadian operations. "We share a similar purpose, to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Together, we can meet today's food insecurity challenge and improve our food system so that it works for all Canadians."
In addition to working with Food Banks Canada, Cargill partners with Second Harvest, Breakfast Clubs Canada and other provincial and local organizations.
"Through these partnerships we are able to put our values into practice – to reach higher, do the right thing and put people first," said Vassart.
Cargill's work in Canada is just one example of how the company is partnering with nonprofit organizations around the globe to ensure people have access to nutritious food. Across all of the communities where Cargill's employees live and work, the company provided more than 39 million meals to global and local food bank partners this past fiscal year.
Visit https://www.cargill.com/about/community-engagement to learn more about Cargill's work with global and local partners to build vibrant communities.
About Cargill
Cargill's 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive.
We combine 155 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.
SOURCE Cargill, Inc.
Dan Sullivan, [email protected], www.cargill.com
Share this article